Alice and Hatter's Growing Relationships Problems
by spot-da-vampyre-puppi
Summary: Alice and Hatter. They have issues like everyone else, but Hatter's from another world, with different customs than Earth. Alice doesn't even register that traditions could differ, until the go someplace specific. R&R please! Will continue if reviewed.


Alice and Hatter: A Growing Relationship

By Spot-Da-Vampyre-Puppi

When the movie ended, I wondered, what will happen with Hatter and Alice? Does their relationship grow, for reals, really? So, like most fans of this movie, I continued it. But, my story is just a cute one shot. Rated T because I am paranoid. Will continue if someone wants me to.

(Picks Up at End of Movie)

Hatter broke the kiss off, remembering my mother in the room.  
"So, Alice, care to tell me how you know this construction worker, a few hours after taking a break with Jack?" Mom huffed, confused.  
Before I could say anything, Hatter said "I am M-... Madden... 'Hatter'... Chase..." it sounded more like a question than an answer. I smiled, Chase.  
"Any relation to a mister Jack Chase who Alice here dated?" she sneered.  
"N-no they aren't related, they just have co-incedental last names." I said quickly. "Mom, I have completely broken things off with Jack. We're just friends now." I could swear I saw a twinkle in Hatter's green eye. Odd, his eyes were greener now, his hair darker, and more... Normal looking since he left Wonderland.  
Wonderland... I quickly noticed my oyster mark was still there, but lesser, it seemed. More like my skin tone, as if it were a scar that went unnoticed by the world.  
I felt like I was missing a part of myself by it's loss.  
"Oh." she said curtly, pulling me back to reality. "Well, Alice, can I talk with you in the other room?" she started to leave the room. I followed.  
"Alice." she started, "how do you know this man?"  
"I-i don't know if I can tell you that."  
"oh. Really." she said sarcastically.  
"a-and I don't know if you would believe me."  
After a few moments she grumbled, "How much do you know about this man?"  
"Plenty."  
"Ok, better question: how long have you known him?"  
As she said this I counted the number of times darkness fell across Wonderland.  
"About two weeks?" I said, slightly unsure. How many times did darkness fall and I couldn't see it? Better yet, is that how they measured days?  
"Where did you meet him?"  
This one I couldn't tell her. Or at least I thought. "A tea shoppe." an unconventional one, but a still tea shoppe.  
"Oh, really, Alice. A tea shoppe? I didn't know you even liked tea."  
"I don't." I said quickly. I liked it even less now. "I had to stop and ask for help."  
"Ah, directions."  
I nodded. It was something like that.  
"And Hatter runs the shoppe, he so kindly helped me get home."  
"So why did you kiss him the moment you saw him?"  
"He asked me to dinner and sorts when we last saw each other."  
"Oh? When was that?"  
"When I stopped by his tea shoppe again to say thanks."  
"And you didn't immediately say yes because..." she was starting to believe me.  
"Because I was dating Jack."  
"And you broke up with Jack because...?"  
"Jack took things a step too far and I realized I had changed too much to stay with him."  
Her face softened and she took me into her arms. "Oh, honey. That's a kind of romantic story in a way." she paused. "Is Hatter a keeper?"  
I nodded. "He will be around the longest out of all the contenders combined and more."  
She kissed my forehead. "I hope you know what you are doing."  
I nodded again. She released me and we went back into the living room.  
Hatter had sat down on our brown couch and was leaned foreward, his head in his hands. When he heard is coming he leaned back, trying to seem relaxed. A moment between us passed and it was as if he was saying to me 'maybe that wasn't the best idea'.  
"So... Hatter... I hear you run a tea shoppe..." Mom started, sitting down next to him.  
"Yeah. I am thinking about switching careers."  
"Oh what to?"  
"I am not exactly sure what job, but I want to help people."  
She smiled in approval. Good.  
"Where are you from?"  
"Wonderland."  
I twitched a bit. Was he giving out too much?  
"Oh, yes that little town just upstate?" she got excited.  
"Er, yeah."  
A moment of nearly akward silence passed.  
"That's an interesting name you've got there, Hatter..." she started again.  
"Er yeah... In school they would call me 'Mad Hatter' all the time... Rather than... Madden... It's what I prefer, Mad Hatter, or just Hatter." he swallowed loudly.  
"Are you thirsty?" she asked.  
He shrugged.  
"Why don't I get something for you to drink?" she got up. "Water? Tea? Coffee? Milk? Pop?" he shuddered at the mention off tea. Mom didn't notice.  
"Anything but tea."  
She left the room. "You know, tea isn't the same here." I said. "You may actually like it. I don't though. I think it tastes bad."  
He unconciously leaned toward me a bit. "Still..." he swallowed loudly, shuddering. "Just to think: all those people it took to produce a drop..."  
My mom came back in, an assortment of cups in hand.  
"We have milk, coffee, water, sprite, or coke." she smiled warmly.  
He looked confused. He probably hadn't ever heard of coffee and probably never heard of coca-cola or sprite.  
Since her back was towards me I mouthed 'Sprite' at him.  
"Sprite..?" he attempted to sound definate.  
She smiled again. Sprite was my favorite, so she thought that at least we shared one thing in common - a hate for tea and a love for sprite.  
He opened the can of soda and slowly brought the silver can up to his mouth. At first he drank slow, and soon he gulped it down.  
"Whoa there, take it easy." my mother said and he lowered the can. "You drink it like Alice does - by the bucketful?"  
He nodded, making her laugh.  
"Approved."  
I smiled.

Hatter wasn't one for formalities so when you said we were basically married, it was true.  
It had been a few months and we had moved in together, and shared practically everything. He got a job working as a school teacher for underprivlidged teens and we were as happy as ever.  
A year and a half passed since that day, and not a day goes by that I miss and loathe the adrenaline rush from an adventure.  
A year and a half. Wow. Even if I technically didn't mind we were married and probably weren't going to be for a long time, I still clung to a shread of hope.  
Though, technically he still hasn't fully said 'I love you'... Even though I have technically said 'love you' a lot...  
And today, technically, was my birthday.  
But none of that mattered... Right?  
"Good morning, gorgeous." he greeted me in the kitchen, yawning and pouring himself a cup of coffee.  
"hm.. Mornin'." I came back to earth.  
He came over and kissed my cheek, sitting down in the chair next to me at the bar.  
"Alice...." he started, a tad nervous.  
"What? What is it?"  
"Jack... He sent a messanger to me while you were sleeping. He has invited us to his wedding in Wonderland."  
"oh?"  
"Would you like to go?"  
I contemplated.  
"I don't know. Would you like to?" I was willing for either side.  
"I would like to check on Wonderland... And this gives a good excuse to go."  
"When is it?" I asked.  
"Earth time it's going to start around noon. We must be careful, if we are just a few seconds late going into the portal, we will have missed it by days."  
I nodded. "Let's go then"  
He left the room to get ready.  
I sighed, discontent. I didn't ever tell him my birthday, so why should he gave plans with me for it? I left to get ready, sighing again.

I ended up in a dress. White at the bottom, just below the knee, it was strapless with an empire waist and faded up to dark blue. It seemed to shine. I had comfortable silver ballet flats on and a small silver purse. My makeup was shiny nude lips, lots of mascara, and cat eye liquid eyeliner.  
When I emerged from the bathroom I saw Hatter in a silver velvet jacket with a blue shirt and a skinny white tie, dark pants and fedora.  
He laughed and bowed. "I like your colour scheme."  
"As I yours" I curtsied and giggled.  
He then took me into his arms and we started dancing. I laughed as we spun around. "Love you."  
He slowed and said "You look even more amazing than normal" and leaned in to kiss me.  
"Stop!" I yelped right before he could "Do you want all kinds of lipstick on our faces?" I pointed at the colour on my lips.  
"I don't really care." nor did I really, other than we were going to be leaving soon. He leaned in again when the doorbell went off, stopping him again.  
We moved over to the green front door. I wrenched it open to see a man dressed up like one of the white rabbit men.  
"Good Evening, Mr. and Mrs. Mad Hatter. I am to take you to the wedding of Jack of Hearts and his lovely bride, who by the end of the Wonderland day, will be known as Jane of Hearts." he smiled grimly.  
I coughed. "We are not married."  
His smile disapeared. "Oh? I would have thought... Nevermind."  
Awkward silence roamed the air for a moment. The RabbitMan looked at his clock and gasped. "We must be off." he turned to leave as we followed, grabbing our coats on the way out.

We had wound our way gently through the crowds, following the stubby man to a van. "Madam." he said, sliding the cab door open.  
"Thank you." I said quickly, getting into the vehicle, Hatter right behind me, a little irked that he couldn't be a gentleman and hold the door open for me. It made me giggle inside. Hatter, jealous, of a rabbitman. How silly.  
We drove for a long time and I started to doze off. The last thing I remember was leaning on Hatter's shoulder, and closing my eyes.  
"Alice." I heard, as someone shook me lightly. "Alice, wake up."  
"hmm?" I asked.  
"Alice, we are hear." Hatter said.  
"oh. Okay." I said, awake. We were still in the van, but wonderland now.  
At least that's what I thought it was, because it looked a lot different.  
"ah that's more like it." I heard him say as we looked at wide open grasses, rather than a large floating ghetto building.  
There were houses built with dignity and respect for the land that was around it and the creatures of Wonderland came out of hiding and some even grazed the open fields.  
"Oh my..." I said.  
To my left was a town. To my right was a large field filled with marital things. There was a giant pile of gifts, a collasal cake, and the rows of chairs were endless.  
"When is the ceremony?"  
"We are really early so about a day."  
"Oh." I said and looked down. I hadn't a change of clothes.  
Realizing this, Hatter said "Hey, we can get our necessities quickly and easily. We are like royalty here. Especially you, my dear Alice." he kissed my nose and grabbed my hand, leading me to a modest looking castle.  
There were two men dressed as cards out in the front.  
"Halt. State your buisness."  
"We are here to see Jack."  
"Name?"  
"Alice and Mad Hatter."  
The guards face went blank.  
"...what?"  
"I am Alice." I said  
"And I am the one and only Mad Hatter."  
"You mean you see The Alice who saved us from enslavement for the rest of days and saved her race? The one who was engaged to Prince Jack?"  
I smiled weakly, "The very one."  
"And you! You are the Mad Hatter! You ran the tea shop down on second and helped Alice save us?"  
He chuckled. "Yes. Do I know you somehow?" he had recognized the man.  
"No, but my great great grandfather was the Mouse in your shop!" he smiled proudly.  
I frowned. "How long do the average people live around here?"  
"Oh it ranges on how much royal blood they have. Peasant blood can only live for a few human years whereas royals live forever. Some royals inter-breeded with the peasants and that made the commoner. The commoner lives for four times as long as that of a peasant. Then a royal breeded with a commoner to come up with high class, which is fifth as long as a commoner. A commoner breeded with a peasant to create low class which lives twice as long as a peasant."  
"Oh. And which are you?"  
He stood up higher with more dignity. "I am I cross of my own kind! I am half commoner half high class! I am expected to live 40 human years- 400 in Wonderland."  
"Wow..." I stared at the man. 400 years! Shows you how fast earth time goes. I sighed.  
"So about seeing Jack..." Hatter said.  
"Oh! Right!" he pulled out a whistle and blew it loudly. The Ten of Hearts came running.  
"What now Fifthy?" Ten said.  
"Alice and Mad Hatter request an audience with Prince Jack of Hearts."  
Ten nearly nodded and led us into the castle and took us to Jack.  
When he saw us he smiled. He looked a lot older now, probably seven years older. I later learned that in Wonderland, you stop aging when you marry. In a quest to find your true love, most wouldn't marry until they found their soulmate, because they would marry for life. Some prolong it for a wise-looking body. But generally, things of love move very slowly in Wonderland.  
"Ah-! Hello my good friends!" he bellowed from his kingly chair. "I thank you for coming to my wedding - for it must have been short notice to you. Here, we started planning a year ago." he chuckled and grew serious and then said: "Ten! Would you be so kind as to bring my dearest friends Alice and Mad Hatter a chair?"  
Ten left the room.  
"Hello Jack." I said quietly.  
He nodded to me and turned to Hatter. "Have you nothing to say, dear friend?"  
He laughed. "I am just taking in what used to be a fit and lithe man! Why choose you to marry older rather than younger?"  
"Because our people need a strong, wise face. Not some young child's mouth and voice. If I am to lead a country in it's state I must be able to convince the people to listen to me. I am not fourty in Mortal years, but I am no longer twenty five in appearance. I am thirty-two appearance wise."  
"huh." I said, bewildered how the whole system of time changed. I was now recently turning 25...  
Which was weird because I had dated Jack a year and a half ago. Which made him older by a year or two. Huh.  
Ten came back with the chairs. We sat down.  
"Jack of Hearts..." Hatter said.  
"Call me Jack."  
"...Jack... We came hear to ask you about something as well as see you."  
"oh?"  
"Yes. We accidentally came a day or two early and it would be much longer than that if we stepped just in and out of the looking glass. We would like to request a room, clothes, food- the necessities - from you."  
Jack rubbed his chin, his eyes clever and his tone was joking. "Hmmmm... I don't know..." he laughed and clapped his hands together. "Of course! I would expect you request nothing less!"  
Ten approached the king. "Shall I prepare them rooms?"  
What? Rooms? As in plural? As in we won't share? It's not like we did anything anyways but I was used to lying next to him at night. It was comforting.  
Jack saw my face and looked at Hatter, who coughed. Jack's face lit up. "That won't be necessary, Ten. One room shall do."  
Hatter looked at him, questionably, but hopefully.  
"Mad Hatter, I must say you chose yourself a wonderful partner. She has kindness, brains, and beauty. She fights for what is right and abolishes the wrong.  
Alice, you chose a man to honor you, the code, and a war of life that respects all. He is strong and can care for you as you him.  
I believe it is only eight that you two should end up together. Even if-" he smirked "-you had to go through my mother to reach it.  
This relationship has been approved by I, Jack of Hearts, Prince of Wonderland, soon to be king. Alice and Mad Hatter may court. They may marry. They may love each one another for the rest of days."  
I blushed my head off. Really? Was what I thought. Really, Jack?  
Hatter's eyes sparkled and he smiled wider than the Chesire Cat in Alice in Wonderland.  
Jack embraced the both of us as Ten led us to our room.  
He stood outside the room, and bid us adieu and told us if we needed anything to call him and he would take care of it personally.  
Hatter opened the door for me.  
I crossed my arms. "what was all that back there?" I questioned cooly.  
"What was all what?" he replied, a tad giddy.  
"oh, I don't know... Maybe that whole thing with Jack?" I said sarcastically. "I know that Wonderland culture is different than Earthen cultures but I would like to know what goes on, especially when it concerns us." I frowned.  
"I- We- Well, .... Al-llicce!" he pouted. "Can we talk about this inside, at the very least."  
I half glared at him and stalked inside to a very mixed theme room. Their was ancient European style paintings, a mod chair, and other strange things. It looked good though, it looked sharp.  
I loved it.  
But then I remembered: I was mad at Hatter about not telling me anything about his culture and what I might expect if we ever came here. I helped him immediately with Earth culture. on his first day here I told him the differences of tea to the Wonder-tea. Now he likes a cup of earthen chai tea every so often.  
I sat down on the eggplant duvet on the bed. He paced a bit in front of me.  
"How shall I start?" he asked himself. He took a deep breath and said: "Ever since the dawn of time, Wonderland stood out from all the other dimensions, not only laws and rules, but with physics and cultures too."  
I nodded for him to continue.  
"One of those cultures is to have a Royal figure approve of a relationship. Most people just have one of the 'lesser of importance' people like dukes and such to approve. Anyone who is in the immediate royal family who approves of the relationship is bestowing honor and the knowledge that it will definately last. Like how priests tell you you can marry, approval tells you you can love someone and that love shall be true."  
I sat in silence for a moment. "So what are you trying to say? That you can't love without approval?!" that made emotions inside me jumble up; mainly sad and anger. He sat down next to me on the bed.  
"No, I am saying that we must have approval to say their love, must have approval for engagement, and marriage. Like how some men go to their love's father to ask for her hand."  
"oh." I understood better now. "So... Why not telling me in the first place about all this? I mean back home?"  
He away and blushed. "I- I was maybe thinking... That it would have been... Romantic... If I did it like this...."  
I grabbed his hand and pecked him on the cheek. "Maybe you should tell me things before strangeness happens."  
"I did all of this for a reason, though."  
"hmm?"  
"Yeah. I- I asked Jack if he could make his first approval... Via messengar. For good reason."  
"Oh?" my interest peaked  
"Yes." he nodded, passion in his eyes.  
"What might that be then?"  
"I love you."


End file.
